Car underframe structure



April 26, 1938. E. P. MOSES CAR UNDERFRAME' Sr'JRUCTURy Filed June e,A1956 2 Sheets-Sheei'T l In Ver) for .5a/wif? @Moses gy Zr/y Api-n.26,1938. v E, P, MOSES 2,115,037

CAR UNDERFRAME STRUCTURE Filed June 6,41936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedApr. 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAE UNDERFRAME STRUCTUREEdwin. P. Moses, White Plains, N. Y. Application June s, 1936,serial'Nu. 83,945

1oc1aims. 01. 105;-415) The invention'relates to railway rolling stockand comprises features of vehicle underframe construction particularlyadapted for use in hopper cars although not limited to such application.n

The` invention consists primarily in center sill, bolster, andassociated structure whereby Various accessories usually made separatelyfrom the underframe and forming no partthereof are combined with theunderframe structure. One object of the invention is to reinforce thecenter sill bolster and center plate structure as is necessary for heavyservice requirements to 'f which hopper cars, for example, are subjectedwithout unduly increasing the weight of the structure. n l

Another object of the invention is toV construct and locate equipmentsuch as air reservoirs, brake cylinders, etc. so that space limitationsmay be accommodated and, preferably, so that this equipment maycontribute to the framing. Structure embodying the present invention andother structure having the same general objectives is disclosed in thecopending application of the present applicant, Serial No. 734,080,filed July 7, 1934, now Patent No. 2,085,762, of which the presentapplication is in part a division and continuation. These and otherdetailed objects indicated below are obtained by the structureillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a topView of one longitudinal half of a hopper car underframe structureembodying the invention. l

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, a portion being sectioned tomore clearly illustrate a detail of the structure. Y y K Figure 3 is averticaltransverse view and section taken on the line. 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detailed transverse section taken on the line 5-5 ofFigure 4.

Preferably the underframe comprises a single unitary construction suchas a one-piece casting, although this preferred form is not essentialfor most features of the invention. Such a casting is illustrated in thedrawings and includes boxshaped center sill structure having a top wallI, side walls 2, and a bottom wall 3 with substantial openings 4 forlightening the structure and facilitating production of the casting.This sill structure extends from end to end of the car with its forwardportion comprising draft sills 5 with suitable rib openings E' forreceiving draft gear keys (not shown).

f Transverse vertical Webs I brace the center sill structure atintervals and preferably these Webs are apertured to receive piping 8,the marginal portions of the apertures includingv brackets 9 formounting the piping either directly or through clamps such as indicatedat Ill.

Bolster structure indicated generally at merges with the center sillstructure and extends transversely thereof to the sides of the car. Atthe intersection of the bolster Vandcenter sill, lower wall 3 isdepressed as at I2 to form center plate structure arranged forinterengagement in the usual manner with the center plate of asupporting truck (not shown) lAn upstanding tubular member I3 extendsupwardly from the central portion of VVthe center plate structure,rigidifying the latter and providing a mounting for the king pin (notshown) which connects the underframe and truckf. v

A vertical transverse web I4 at the rear of center plate I2 forms a partof the bolster structure and reinforces the sill structure at thispoint. An upright rib I5 extends between member I3 and webV I4 and intothe depressed center sill forming portion of bottom wall 3. A draft gearstop block I6 extends upwardly at the front ofv the center platestructure with its sides spaced from the adjacent side walls 2 ofthecenter sill.

Stop block I6 is connected Withrnember i3 by a central vertical rib I'lcorresponding generally to rib I5 anddiagonal ribs I8 extend from blocki6 rearwardly and downwardly into the depressed center plate formingportion of the bottom wall 3 bracing elements I2 and IB from each other.

The bolster structure at the sides of the center l sill structure is ofgeneral I-shaped cross-section having a vertical web I9, a top flange 20substantially horizontal from end to end, and a bottom flange 2I whichis inclined upwardly and outwardly from the center plate to the side ofthe car. An air reservoir 22 is located in one of the angles formed bythe bolster and draft sill structure and utilizes the adjacent draftsill as an end wall and the adjacent portion of web I9 as an element ofthe side wall. The adjacent portion 23 of the inclined bottom flange 2|of the bolster merges with the outer end of the reservoir and thereservoir constitutes a substantial bracing structure across the anglebetweenV the bolster and draft sill.

Preferably a horizontal bracket 24 projects from the forward portion ofthe air reservoir and mounts a diagonal brace 25 extending to theforward corner of the built-up platform structure (not shown) carried bythe underframe. An upright web 26 intermediate the ends of reservoir 22braces the walls of the latter and resists the thrusts transmitted tobracket 2,4.

A gusset 21 extends between the bolsterand draft sill at the side of thelatter opposite to reservoir 22 anda brake cylinder 28 is carried bythis gusset, and the cylinder and its support 29Y are shown as castintegral with the'remainder of the underframe. VGusvset 21 Vincludes abracket 32 corresponding to bracket 24. Between cylinder 28 andreservoir 22.is a rectangular bracket 30 for mounting the air brakevalve 3l, and bracket 30 also is preferably formed as part of theunderframe casting.

The above described structure comprises an effective underframe forhopper cars and the relation of the underframe to the sloping end floorsand hopper structure is indicated by the broken lines H in V'Figure 2.'The provision of complete'separately formed reservoir and bracketstherefor on the underframe is avoided by the unitary structure.v Thearrangement of thecenter plate isy simplified and the elements of thecenter plate and the reinforcement thereof also constitute elements ofthe center sill and draft stop structure.

As previously indicated, the casting of theelements in one piece is notessential to all features of the invention and other modifications ofthe has invention maybe made without departing from the spirit of theinvention and the exclusive use of such modifications as come within thescope of the claims Vis contemplated. What is claimed is: V Y Y l. Arailway vehicle underframe integralstruc- Vture includingintersectingrcenter sill and bolster members, and a fluid reservoirbetween said bolster member and theend of the underframe, said.reservoir having walls mergingwith and forming a part of the uprightwebsl of said bolster member and center sill members. t

2. Structure as specied in claim 1 which also includes a bracketprojecting from the reservoir for mounting a platform framing member.

3. Structure as specified in claim 1 which also includes a bracketprojecting from the reservoir intermediate the ends of the latter formounting a platform framing member, there-being a Yreinforcing webextending across saidreservoir between said bracket and bolsterstructure;

4. In a railway car underframe; a centersill, a bolster having averticalweb extending from said center silll to the side of the car,there Ybeing a lateral flange projecting from the lower portion of saidweb at one side thereof, van air reservoir located at the opposite sideof said web Vand extending along the same towards the side of the Vcarbut terminating short ofthe end of saidbolster, and the lateral flangeon the opposite side of said web extending inwardly from the end of thebolster and merging with the end of said reservoir.

5. A railway vehicle underframe rigid onepiece structure comprisingintersecting center sill and bolster members, a uid pressure brakecylinder and a fluid `reservoir in theV respective corners between saidmembers and merging therewith, and an air brake valve mounting mergingwith said center sill betwee'n'said cylinder and reservoir. i

6. In a railway vehicle underframe, a bolste having an upright web, adraft sill extending from said bolster towards the adjacent end of theunderframe, and a ilui-d reservoir located vbetweensaid bolster andsaidunderframe end and having a portion of its wall structure formed by saidbolster web.

'7. In a railway vehicle underframe, abolster having an upright web, adraft sill extending from' said bolster towards the adjacent end 'of theunderframe, and a flui-d reservoir located between said bolster and saidunderframe end and having va portion of its wall' structure formed bysaid bolster web and draft sill.Y

8. In a railway vehicle underframe, a bolster, a draft sill extendingfrom said bolster towards the adjacent end of the underframe, and afluid reservoir located between said bolster and said underframe endVand having a portion of its wall structure formed by said bolster, saidreservoir g being-constructed and arranged to mount a diag- Vonal cornerbrace at a point spaced from` said Vbolster and to transmit thrust fromthe same to said blster independently o f other framing members. Y

9. In a railway vehicle underframe, a bolster, a draft sill extendingfrom said bolster towards itheadjacent end of the underframe, and alfluid reservoir located between s-aid bolster and said underframe endand having a portion` of its wall structure formed by said bolster, saidreservoir being constructed and arranged to mount a diagonal cornerbrace at a point spaced from said draft sill and to transmit thrust fromthe same to said draft sill independently of other framing members.

10. In a railway vehicle underframe, a bolster,

